


A Monster From Starvation Hell

by Sora2131



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Marineford Events, For Want of a Nail, Sanji Goes To Marineford, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:27:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24509908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sora2131/pseuds/Sora2131
Summary: What if Sanji wasn't able to escape the Marines on Sabaody? His bounty would land him in his personal idea of hell, but it would also put him right where Luffy needed him during his Captain's darkest hour.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 87





	1. Strawhats Annihilated!

**Author's Note:**

> Because, like most people, I'm still not over Ace's death here's my own stab at the Butterfly Effect. I asked myself which of the Strawhats could have changed the events (which meant the Monster Trio or maybe Chopper) and still make it to their training island. That meant either Zoro, who would have to leave with Mihawk after the battle, potentially causing him trouble or Sanji, who would have to leave with the okama which is only a problem for Sanji's mental wellbeing.
> 
> Would appreciate someone who's familiar with canon and particularly Marineford, since I've read that many fanfics that I'm probably gonna get fanon confused with the Real McCoy.

It was a small thing, a microfracture in the knee, the kind that The Monster Trio walk-off with horrifying regularity but when thrown into battle after battle after battle and only using his legs to attack, Sanji was no longer dealing with a small problem. He was dealing with torn cartilage so by the time the Strawhats' escape was halted by the Kuma clone they had to dogpile to defeat, he could no longer hide his limp. When he, Nami and Franky fled from PX-1, he was closer to hopping, as his right leg became less and less able to hold his weight. By the time Kuma had blown him backwards after a desperate attempt to protect Usopp and the six Strawhats still left, he couldn't bring himself to even regain his feet. Forced to watch and spit and curse as Franky vanished. He was in total silence as Nami pleaded for rescue and about to vomit as Kuma ignored his captain's fury to vanish both Chopper and Robin in one move. The tears flowed freely seeing Luffy drop to his knees, devastated before he turned his head to the cook, "Sanji...run...please don't die..." 

"We will not meet again." That was the last thing Kuma said before he banished one of the greatest people Sanji had ever met. By now hoarse, Sanji could barely manage to curse the Tyrant now approaching him, bare hand lazily before him. 

"Hmm...hold a moment Bear..." Kizaru, apparently done with Rayleigh, now that Kuma had annihilated the 'next generation' that he was so intent on protecting. Considering the countless resources it would take (not to mention likely cause more than a little collateral damage to face a Dark King intent on revenge) to capture him, the Admiral let the old legend retreat. Now all that was left is the Vinsmoke. Despite his wounds including a ruined right leg, he was still conscious and wasn't that an interesting surname. Magellan would have a field day with him, "He's better alive. I don't think we can take the chance he goes for a swim with that leg and I believe his family would be...hmm...happier if their little butterfly is back in his box." Sanji froze, as did his blood, by the colour of his face. Kizaru gave a self-satisfied smirk before flashing to his side and slamming his foot into the blonde's temple, causing a sickening crack and a spray of blood. Unsurprisingly the rookie pirate was sleeping soundly after that.

"Hmm...Send him straight to Impel Down. Not a millimetre of mistake Bear, mind you." Kuma stared back at him, saying nothing but starting him down, "Hmm...how scary..."

Three full minutes passed in awkward silence (ignoring the popping of bubbles all around them, of course) before Kuma turned back to the Last Strawhat and, still without a word, Kuma obliged. The Admiral hummed once more, then flashed away, likely to confirm Sanji's incarceration. Kuma continued to stand in silence until Rayleigh returned to the clearing, once all Marines were confirmed to have left the area. 

"One got captured." Rayleigh was stating the obvious but it bared saying aloud since it was a pretty terrible situation for even one of Luffy's crewmates to be in Impel Down. Whether they realised it or not, both men there had something in common, each knowing someone reckless enough to storm Impel Down and strong enough to escape again. Luffy was of the same like, though his strength was not yet great enough to match up. 

"Let us hope he learns quickly. Amazon Lily is his destination." His piece said he turned the paw pad on himself and then he was gone. Rayleigh rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses and sighed heavily. This generation might just be the Worst after all. He couldn't wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the disaster on Sabaody, Sanji is treated to an indefinite VIP experience courtesy of Magellan, which means a private cell. Convalescing, conversation and, of course, near starvation. At least he doesn't need to share his food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response I'm getting on this one is fantastic, so here's hoping this chapter impresses.

Sanji chewed on a bone, thinking on the shitty situation until now. Four days had passed since he was too weak to save even one other Strawhat and in those days he's had to deal with, on varying levels of shittiness, a total Vinsmoke sycophant of a Warden, a braindead Vice-Warden who kept trying to use him in some weird attempt to undermine said Warden, a female Head Guard with a thing for torture and worst of all, Starvation Hell.

Four days of minimal food and water wasn't much, logically, to someone who regularly eats big nutritionally balanced meals like Sanji and his crew but that didn't stop the panic he had felt. It didn't stop the flashbacks, the nightmares and the shaking. Eventually, though, he realised that the Warden had done him a massive favour right when he thought he was punishing Sanji, by putting him in a solitary cell (admittedly Sanji thought that too at the time). 

On day one, Magellan had attempted to suck up to his family name, showing off the various poisons his body was capable of. Sanji had made it very much clear that he had discarded that shitty name and start to rage on the Marines for using it in the first place. That changed his tune, "77 Million, yes?" It sounded like an innocuous question, though Sadi-chan nodded like an excited child, " That would be...Starvation Hell. Enjoy isolation as well as starvation and dehydration." With that, he turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him. That left an ecstatic Sadi and a horrified Sanji in the room until his transfer.

He'd dealt with the moans of hunger poorly, each one he heard was someone that Sanji could sympathise with. He remembered Ghin, as his stomach complained. He'd fed the Fleet Commander of The Krieg Pirates. That decision had almost destroyed the Baratie, the shitty old man's life work, his consolation prize after Sanji had already ruined the man's dream. And he'd make the same decision again. Hell, he'd make every choice he's ever made all over again (except maybe eating better in general before that one kitchen job), safe in the knowledge that he'd eventually encounter Zeff and then Luffy and then Nami then Robin and the rest of the shitheads...

He kept his tears silent. It was futile to hold them back. Better to let it out now while in solitary rather than during an interrogation three weeks from now when they could be weaponised. Once he was done breaking down, he spent another day (maybe, time was an odd concept without human contact and one meal a day) at rock bottom. It was as though just the act of carefully rationed food while feeling at an all-time low dragged him right back to his gaunt frame and Zeff's downright skeletal husk. It wasn't until his fourth meal was down to scraps that he was able to pull himself together. He'd promised to meet up three days after separating and he just knew that that shitty moss-head would never let him live it down if he learned Sanji was late, despite still being so close to the Sabaody Archipelago, just because he was feeling a bit down.

Shit now more firmly together, Sanji let the cogs in his mind turn. His mind was usually a whipcrack but in his current state, he was happy with a cuckoo clock for a brain. He didn't have to think too hard, though as he realised that, unlike every other "meal" he'd been served, this one had a napkin. Feeling like even a small change meant a lot in a place like this, he jumped towards the plate. Now closer and in a mental state conducive to higher thought, he realised he could smell perfume. Woman's perfume! His hearts in his eyes, and a hurricane in his chest, he spins in circles letting the smell fill his entire cell. After enough time that he felt a phantom Nami slam a fist into his skull (he even dutifully slammed into the floor, so as not to disappoint her), he noticed that there was writing on one side. Beautiful, swirling cursive, punctuated by hearts greeted him almost sending spinning again,

'Get out of solitary, by whatever means pretty-boy, and you'll have a full belly before the day's end.'

Under normal circumstances, that sort of note would have sent him into apoplexy but at that moment, the cuckoo bird crowed. And he HATED the idea he had. After all, he hated that shitty family and that shitty warden but he hated this shitty cell more. He'd need a way to keep himself on point while not telling Magellan about the only member of his family that doesn't trigger his gag reflex. If he revealed Reiju-nee's involvement in his escape, he could collapse her cover...But Reiju Vinsmoke isn't just one person. She wears a better mask than even Robin-chan did back in Alabasta. "First find out her title. She has one if I do. Next, separate the mask from my memories for sanity's sake. Lastly, get a full belly and a way out. I'll have my chance to Prince Charming my saviour, too."

Plan in mind and pride firmly swallowed, he put on his best begging voice and started shouting enough to nearly knock the bricks loose around him, "I'M SORRY! I'LL TELL THE WARDEN WHATEVER HE WANTS PLEASE!!!" 

This was gonna be a long day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was gonna sit on this for longer, but I'm happy with this stopping point for the time being.


	3. Newkama Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji, able to grovel his way into the Warden's good-books, is transferred to a more crowded cellblock allowing his benefactor to spirit him away...though he might prefer isolation before long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3, here we go!!

"I believe that our deal is met. You are relieved from your isolation, and I'm glad that your rehabilitation is progressing well."

"Making a deal with prisoners for preferential treatment?! I'll have your job for sure!"

Magellan began to mutter about the various accolades given out by the Germa Kingdom, and the Vice Warden chimed up once again, much to Sanji's further disgust. Luckily, it was the last for today, as his transfer meant his mysterious stranger could get him a decent meal. It'd taken Sanji another 24 hours (he'd confirmed his guesstimate of time when he'd been brought before the Warden and was better able to keep track of time now that he was with other people) to butter up the boss enough to let him slip out of solitary, but now he had to deal with the fact that he could see the owners of the nightmarish moans. Thankfully, he barely had time to lean backwards in his cell before being spirited away. A tiny amount of pressure was enough for the brick to fall apart behind him, sending him plummeting through a tunnel of some sort. Most of the trip within blackness as the wall seemed to go back together after he'd passed through, so that was extra unnerving. The sound of a hatch opening and the smell of food hit him all at once.

He'd been in enough fights around furniture generally to know when he's just crushed a chair beneath his body weight, but that experience didn't help his weakened body hurt less when his probably visible ribs slammed into sturdy wood at terminal velocity. He groans as he climbs, slowly with only one working leg, to his feet. He's shaking and it finally occurs that the intense heat wasn't just because of the solitary cell. He was slick with sweat and his shaking was shivering. Comfortable room temperature was below freezing to him. Once he was fully upright, he was able to see the fresh Hell he had landed in. Okama. EVERYWHERE. Women, too, but also OKAMA.

"Ahh! My favourite chair!!!" The high pitched, but male voice screeched from the blue-haired massive-headed Okama on the garishly decorated stage, tears streaming down his face, before flipping back to a cheerful expression as the others around the increasingly overwhelmed and confused Sanji attempted to comfort him, "Mmmfufufu~ Just kidding!!" 

That exclamation was met was with uproarious laughter and someone bringing Sanji a new chair to replace the one he bodyslammed. He didn't take it, his senses overloading. He felt like he was seeing sounds and hearing outfits. _At least 100..._ He tried to focus his scrambling senses on the speaking but all that managed was letting Sanji see that he was BRIGHT. The shock of that sensation snapped his senses back to normal, at the same time as it knocked his balance from him. He was suddenly glad the chair was there, even if he had some of the previous one still stuck up his ass. Before he could exercise his tongue and throat muscles, the shitty Red-Blue on stage spoke up,

"Okay, Pretty-boy! Did I promise you food? I did!" Another cheer sounded out as a spread, one that put even Sanji's own efforts on the Thousand Sunny to shame, started flowing out from doors at the edge of the room. Sanji was beyond happy despite his surroundings as a shapely bunny-girl sauntered over with several plates. Between the plunging neckline and bared, reddened cheeks (both sets) kept Sanji with his jaw somewhere around the ocean floor as she ran a delicate finger up and down his body, getting a little more handsy than was strictly necessary before she straightened, put a mug of...something beside one of the smaller (but not the smallest) plates down in front of him. "Eat up, Pretty-boy. Jacob's cooking will help you get big and strong."

Sanji had no idea who 'Jacob' was but he grilled up a mean bird. Where Impel Down prisoners got anything 'bird', he had no clue, but that was a question for not-hungry Sanji. He was halfway through his meal, so about 45 seconds later (after all he was starving AND used to sharing a table with Luffy), he set eyes on the nearly-bare bunny-girl over near the massive headed Okama. She stomped with a surprising amount of strength, considering how dainty it looked, and he only just heard what they were saying over the mealtime chaos, "I told you to call me Jackie when I'm out front." "Mmfufu~ But Jackie didn't cook these, did she?" That comeback left Sanji even more puzzled but apparently, Jackie (an angel's name, surely!) got what her...boss(?) meant since another of those not-dainty stomps was accompanied with puffed cheeks and a MASSIVE pout before she deflated with a sigh and a shrug. 

"Oh well, my shift's over and Pretty-boy isn't up for a full meal yet so I've got four other courses to not waste." A woman after his own heart, to be sure.

"Mmmfufufu~ Horu Horu..."

He didn't hear the rest of the technique but was treated to whiplash between envy and horror, as the shitty Red-Blue caressed the bunny's cheek with the utmost care (damn if he didn't have good caressing technique, though) before he stabbed his fingers into the flesh of her neck. He was transfixed as those wonderful curves deflated. All at once, the skimpy outfit filled out in all wrong ways. The neckline now plunged down a fissure and he had a shift towards leotards with skirts he'd never before even considered. He had only a few seconds with that thought in his mind before his poor fried brain checked out. It was nap time anyway...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 22/06/20: Took another read now that a couple of days had passed, found some mistakes, tidied up the language.


	4. Judgement Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of Ace's execution. Luffy, with the assistance of Boa Hancock and a surprising third ally, hid aboard a marine ship to gain access to Impel Down. His allies can't take him past the entrance, however, so he thanks them and departs.
> 
> Meanwhile, Sanji's plan to free Ace is set into motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The timeline I go by here assumes that Amazon Lily is 3 days away from Sabaody while Impel Down is only 1 (as the Kuma flies). Meaning that although Sanji is on Day 8, he had two days when he was incarcerated and Luffy was still flying.

**36 Hours Until Ace's Execution**

Sanji didn't stay down for too long. Within a few hours of his meal, he was awake again. However, he woke up worried he'd missed months, he was that well-rested. Turns out that plate he'd been served was made with regeneggs and narcorines, then garnished with sleeping beauty and the drink was applenea juice, carefully prepared to remove the restlessness properties while still putting him to sleep. It was all ingredients he knew and had even worked with, but how they combined and prepared those dishes were totally unlike anything he'd previously tasted. Not to mention the efficiency in their added effects. It'd even healed up the lingering aches from his VIP treatment during processing. Shitty "baptism"...

He found out fairly quickly after waking that Ace was held in Level 6, awaiting execution. He also found out that getting down to Level 6 and out with Ace was the kind of impossible only his captain could do alone. That meant either allies or a strategy. Luckily he had time. Yeah, that time was down to being measured in hours by now, but a chef worked in minutes and seconds when needs must. 

Ivankov, the shitty Red-Blue with the freaky fingers, helped him put together a plan that had a shot at success. Newkama prisoners had similar movement ability to the Wardens, though it was more based on tunnels and ladders rather than elevators, to minimise detection. 

Sanji's plan, such that it is, is to let the Marines do all the heavy lifting of taking Ace to the exit and getting a ship ready. Ambush them at the entrance. Something-something-something. Freedom. Easy.

"I'm turning into Zoro..." It didn't feel the same to call him Marimo if he wasn't here to pick a fight with. Wasn't fair, and more importantly, being reminded of his shitty family made him automatically cringe away from anything but an insult to his face. 

Waiting was made agonisingly worse by the 'newkama's constant switching between unbelievable babes and "OHMYGODWHY" guys but not easing up on their touchiness in either. Even worse was his growing tolerance to the initial violent cringe away from them just because there was only so much room to play keep away and even his newly discovered (but currently unreliable) Skywalk couldn't help stay away forever, especially since they keep cunningly disguising themselves as...themselves. The heart wants what it wants and the body follows even if the brain is screaming logic.

Apparently, the "Queen" (BIGGEST QUOTES EVER) makes the gender swap thing both a reward and punishment, judging by the general reaction to it being deployed on people trying to attack their leader. Seeing the mental shift from bloodthirsty male pirate to flouncing bunny girl pirate only made him more thankful that Ivankov had declared him off-limits after finding out the name of his captain.

Mostly off-limits anyway... Sparring with the Captain-level Revolutionary often ended with him injected with random animal hormones and passed around as a pet for a rest of the day, but until then it was an unbeatable workout strategy to get back into shape and then some.

\----------------------

**24 Hours Until Ace's Execution**

"Remember Strawhat I don't care about your brother, but if you can get him out, mine should be able to slip away." Their erstwhile ally had made it repeatedly clear that she didn't mind being called a hypocrite by Hancock and rude by Luffy so neither spoke up. Although that might have more to with Luffy hiding in Hancock's robes and Hancock's barely contained rapture than any resignation on their parts.

After they passed another pair of Marine guards, Luffy whispered back, "Don't worry Butterfly, they'll both be fine!" He kept an impressive lid on his normally loud voice though it was simpler and safer to whisper in Hancock's ear. She seemed to prefer that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super super sorry how long this chapter took and even more sorry that it's so short. Hope it was worth the wait regardless.


	5. Chaos! The Strawhat's Natural Environment!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a limit on how long Luffy can be subtle and that limit is reached in the Wild Beast Hell. While Hancock speaks to Ace, reigniting the faltering firecracker, Sanji attempts to secure an exit while his captain is razing hell. 
> 
> With most of the guard responding to the Worst riot in the prison's history, Sanji figures he'll have an easy time. He doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Ivankov is an English pronoun nightmare, I've used the gender he/she currently is. Also, I don't know, if at the current part of the plot Sanji knew about Dragon, so I'm saying he didn't.

**20 hours until Ace's execution.**

One of the girls, Tammy, made Sanji a suit fitted to the millimetre that she admitted was because of how handy she was when she was he. The sooner he can spend time with women who don't change their gender like it's their coat, the sooner he could leave behind the pronoun gymnastics involved. Or even, and he can barely admit it to himself, okama. He knew how to deal with normal, not-sometimes-cute-girl guys like Mr 2; aim for the face, figure out the exit strategy later. 'Newkama Tag' is only fun about half of the time...

Anyways, Sanji managed to talk her down from frills and lace by agreeing to a shirt, waistcoat and trousers that had room to stretch in the right ways to be comfortable if he ended up asking Ivankov for a 'special favour' before he left. Sanji didn't know if she meant female or animal hormones until he was pulling it on and found that the shirt was loose around the chest, the top of the waistcoat curved in a way to subtly hint at a bust while still appearing masculine. Most noticeable was the way the trousers hung on his hips in a way that'd be uniquely appealing whether they were chiselled or curved. 

Still, it was comfortable and not far visually from what he came here wearing, though he wasn't sure emerald green is his colour. Definitely glad he skipped on the lace.

Just as he was about to put his first steps in motion, after saying his thanks and goodbyes, the world shook around them. The men and women manning the Den Den Mushi network started calling out status reports. Apparently, some rookie had started trashing the prison looking for his brother.

"That's my captain!" Sanji exclaimed, pushing two heads out the way as he rushed forward, "He must be here for Ace!"

"Not for you Pretty-Boy? I thought he was a good captain." The Shitty Red-Blue said coming up to see what all the fuss is about.

Sanji turned a glare on him, no her for now, "He doesn't know I'm here. He knows Ace is. Obviously, he's looking for him and not me."

The Pretty Red-Blue took on a thoughtful expression after she tittered in response, "I have to know. Obviously 'Strawhat' isn't his name. So what is it? Where is he from? I need to remember the only other person I know who would storm Impel Down for a single man."

Clearly, there was a story there but Sanji didn't have the time, "Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy." Sanji felt the ice-burn of loneliness at the thought of the Strawhat Captain. He'd been keeping his thoughts about his crewmates as fleeting as possible, trying to ride the momentum his benefactor was offering, and the last time he thought about them too much, he nearly broke down in tears again. He couldn't stop, even to think about the people driving him forwards.

He looked up to see why Ivankov didn't break his train of thought as she was so fond of doing. He wasn't expecting the Newkama Queen to have her jaw on the floor, so he began to really worry. Her eyes were wide enough to pop out and roll away (note to self: as Chopper about the possibility), and she kept making an odd choking sound.

"Dragon..." Ivankov shifted back to male, before throwing himself backwards with enough force the seriously endanger cave structure but Sanji was too worried to get annoyed at that. The Shitty Red-Blue peeled himself up and was suddenly, yelling, "Wakey-wakey!" Most of the people not busy were watching the show on the monitors, but Ivankov captures attention easily, "Listen up! We might be moving out soon! I have reason to believe that Strawhat-Boy is Dragon's son!" 

Thinking it was one of Ivankov's exaggerated fake reactions, the crowd laughed like normal. Even those close enough to see him thought he was kidding. However, when no jovial shouts of "NOT REALLY!" sounded the laughing slowly died down. By the time the laughing stopped, the whispering started, but that was stopped by an echoing, "NOW!" The crowd scattered like pests before direct light.

\--------------------------------

Sometime later Sanji was holding a vial of hormones, served fresh from those creepy fingers, and was wearing an odd rebreather around his neck. The Warden is a fond advocate of poison and having a few panic buttons in case of melting lungs is always a good idea. He was still securing the entrance alone, but now Ace was going to have Luffy and the Newkama as an escort to the gates rather than Marines.

He slipped the vial into a hidden sleeve pocket, adjusted the fit of the equipment he was wearing and started climbing through the dark secret passage. He had to crawl in some places, as the tunnel made adjustments for rooms he was passing by. He could feel the chaos his captain was causing through the very walls. It was almost as though he knew exactly where Luffy was, and he focused on that sensation to distract from the sensory deprivation he was experiencing. As he braced his arms and legs against the tunnel walls to get past a section of the ladder that had rotted away, he realised that he **could** sense Luffy's location. As soon as he realised what he was doing, the feeling slipped away, though the timing was fortuitous as he reached the end of the tunnel. 

Moving aside a section of metal, Sanji slithered into the vent the tunnel exited on to, replaced the fake panel and dropped down into the floor of the prison above sea level.

Something was wrong, intensely wrong, as Sanji landed amongst unconscious Marines scattered around the entrance hall. Before he had even finished taking in the scene, he heard an impossibly familiar voice from behind himself, "Little brother. You are okay. Good, let's get out of here."

Waiting for him, a mere ten feet away and reclining on a pile of Marines, was Reiju Vinsmoke. 

_Oh. Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Dragon reveal wasn't too sudden or anything was it?


End file.
